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Noel1983
12-20-2013, 07:50 AM
I bought a set of DR Black Beauties recently to put on my Dean Edge. I wanted to practice the various adjustments on that bass so that I know what I am doing when it comes to adjusting the Ibanez.

Now I am almost entirely ignorant when it comes to string construction, and this is where I run into my question. It appears that the strings have multiple outer wrappings over the inner core wire. I found something that appears strange on the D string.

Halfway between where the string makes contact with the saddle and the bridge pickup is where the final outer wrapping begins on just the D string. Is that OK? It seems like that would affect the balance and sound of the string. It seems to stay in tune, but it just doesn't feel right. Does anyone else have experience with these strings and their construction?

Elmeaux
12-20-2013, 08:43 AM
Do you have a pic of the situation? What's the scale of the bass?

TobiasMan
12-20-2013, 11:28 AM
The wrappings on the DR Black Beauties I have on my Tobias 6 string all continue up to the bridge.

There are strings known as taper core or exposed core, where the wrapping ends before the bridge. In general they tend to have longer sustain than standard strings. They also require adjustment of the saddles to get the correct string height over the pickups. This is because the thickness of the string as it passes over the bridge is less than the thickness of the string over the pickups.
Normally the exposed/tapered design is only visible on the lower strings B. E and A, not the upper strings like the D,G or C.

Sounds like something is wrong. I'd take them back for an exchange, unless they are a taperwound/exposed core string.

DR Longneck strings are taper core strings.

Noel1983
12-22-2013, 07:54 AM
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Here are some pictures, Elmeaux. It is kind of difficult to see the exact problem. I tried to center each picture directly on the point where the final wire wrapping begins. The picture of the entire bridge to pickup area is still centered on the point where the final wire wrapping begins. As for the scale of this bass, I am not 100% sure. But from saddle to nut it is 34", that is the same as the Ibanez SR1200 that DaveB said was a long scale. So I purchased a set of long scale strings.

TobiasMan, I don't see anything on the package about them being a tapered core or exposed core. The only warning inside the box says, "We flatten a small section of the core wire at a spot that should lie past the nut at the top of the fingerboard, and between the tuning machines of your instrument." But even that warning (which is more lengthy than the quote I provided) is only applicable to "Tite-fits, Pure Blues, Alexi Laiho Signatures, Hi-Beam Basses, Marcus Miller Basses, Sunbeam Acoustics and Basses."

TobiasMan
12-22-2013, 03:18 PM
Black Beauties are not tapered/exposed core. I've never seen a BB string that looks like that and I've been using them for years now. The windings should go right over the bridge on Black Beauties.

Looks like a faulty string got into that package.

The flattening they are talking about in the warning refers to the other end of the string (the nut), not at the bridge.


Take them back to the retail place for a replacement.

line6bassman
12-22-2013, 03:44 PM
Something wrong with that................

Elmeaux
12-22-2013, 04:21 PM
Yeah, that doesn't look right. Take 'em back. Better yet, take in the bass with the strings ON, so they can see the problem. Or at least your phone or camera with those pictures. Something's definitely wrong.

Noel1983
12-23-2013, 10:48 AM
Thanks to everyone for their help. I figured that it had to be defective.

I bought the strings online at 'Bass Strings Online', because my local music store only carries the D'Addario Pro Steel strings. They are fine strings, but I have them on my SR1200, and wanted to get a different sound out of the Dean Edge. I'm not sure what the return policy is at Bass Strings Online, but I will contact them as well as DR corporation itself for replacement/reimbursement.

Merry Christmas, everyone,
Noel

TobiasMan
12-23-2013, 04:11 PM
I'm sure that DR will make that right if the retailer won't.

Noel1983
12-29-2013, 11:54 PM
I called Bass Strings Online on Monday December 23 morning to lodge my warranty issue with them. I was told that the DR corporation handled their own warranty issues so that they can keep a comprehensive record of what issues arise from their products. I was given an email address at DR and told to call them back if I couldn't get satisfaction.

After hanging up with Bass Strings Online, I went to DR Strings website and got their phone number. I called them up and the girl that answered the phone didn't even ask what was wrong with the string. I offered to send them the pictures, and she simply told me that they would send out a replacement string. I told her that it was a Black Beauty bass string (.070) D string. She took my address and phone number. I received my replacement string in the mail on Thursday.

Now it's true that they were only mailing the string from New Jersey to New York, but considering that Wednesday was Christmas I couldn't be happier with the customer service that I received from both Bass Strings Online or DR Strings.

Elmeaux
12-30-2013, 07:02 AM
Is the replacement string OK?

Noel1983
12-30-2013, 11:23 AM
Yeah, the replacement string came in perfect condition. Now I just need to break it in. Thanks for asking.

TobiasMan
12-30-2013, 11:46 AM
So glad to hear that DR is living up to it's top notch reputation. They really don't want bad strings out there - at all!!!!

line6bassman
06-07-2014, 09:57 AM
4TH of July Strings..

DR Strings celebrates the Fourth of July with new NEON™ Red, White and Blue color coated guitar and bass string sets. In coordination with legendary guitarist and DR Strings’ artist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, 10% of the sales proceeds will benefit the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF). Baxter notes, “The SOWF guarantees a college education and/or support for sons and daughters of Special Forces parents who have fallen in the line of duty.”


DR’s NEON™ Red, White and Blue sets are shipping now to retailers around the world. DR’s NEON™ Red, White and Blue sets are available in a variety of gauges for electric, acoustic and bass guitar. Separately, NEON™ Red and NEON™ Blue sets are also available in a solid color set for standard electric, acoustic and bass guitar gauges.

http://www.drstrings.com/#!news/c1r9

Line6bassmanTR

TobiasMan
06-07-2014, 12:01 PM
Still waiting for my set of M6 Black Beauty replacements to arrive. Ordered several weeks ago now. :(

line6bassman
06-07-2014, 06:33 PM
Still waiting for my set of M6 Black Beauty replacements to arrive. Ordered several weeks ago now. :(

So why is it taking so long? Did you order in the states? Are is it back ordered? Of course my multicolored strings took weeks also
because they just came out and Musicians friend said they had them but really didn't until they did get them. OH, well...

Line6bassmanTR

TobiasMan
06-07-2014, 11:43 PM
Ordered via Long & McQuade, probably the largest music supplier in Canada. They don't carry much high end stuff, but they will usually order for you (they never have any DR strings in stock!). They sometimes don't even submit an order until they have "enough" orders for a bulk order. Have waited a long time in the past and was hoping that wouldn't be the case this time around. :(

May just order my strings through a string supplier from the US next time. I get the strings for my NXT5 Electric upright from Gollihur in the US and they send stuff out quite quickly. :)

Elmeaux
06-08-2014, 01:23 AM
I've ordered through L&M before. Never seen it take that long. As for high end stuff, they have some pretty expensive Godins in my local stores. But then again, anything over $500.00 is above my pay grade.

TobiasMan
06-08-2014, 06:48 PM
Going to phone tomorrow and see what is up. They are supposed to send me an eMail when they are in - no eMail! :(

Nicki
06-23-2014, 07:10 AM
I finally got around to putting my Black Beauties on my MM Sabre. Got all excited to play with them and hum city. Really, really bad hum. The strings don't ground. So unless you're bass has really good shielding (which apparently mine doesn't), you'll get hum with these coated strings. :( So no playing the Sabre until hubby can shield the electronics cavity better. These would be truly awful on a passive, single coil bass.

TobiasMan
06-23-2014, 11:19 AM
Hmmm :confused:. . . never an unwanted sound from any DR's I've played on any of my basses. Tried a variety of them and settled on the Black Beauties.

Elmeaux
06-23-2014, 11:23 AM
I had a set a couple of years ago. I liked them. No problems with hum. My only complaint was that the coating wore down too quickly under the plucking area. From what I've read, though, DR has improved the coating formula. My Neons haven't worn down yet.

Nicki
06-23-2014, 11:38 AM
I did some digging and there was an article by Roger Sandowsky in Bass Gear magazine (http://vpub.boyd-printing.com/display_article.php?id=1115676) a year or so ago about this very issue. It's not just DRs that suffer the problem. Coated Elixirs, tapewounds...basically any string with a non-conductive coating can cause problems if your bass relies on the strings for part of its grounding.

An interesting read, for sure.

Elmeaux
06-23-2014, 02:41 PM
I did some digging and there was an article by Roger Sandowsky in Bass Gear magazine (http://vpub.boyd-printing.com/display_article.php?id=1115676) a year or so ago about this very issue. It's not just DRs that suffer the problem. Coated Elixirs, tapewounds...basically any string with a non-conductive coating can cause problems if your bass relies on the strings for part of its grounding.

An interesting read, for sure.

Good info to have! The only problem is how do you know in advance? Are they going to let you return the strings?

Nicki
06-24-2014, 07:08 AM
Good info to have! The only problem is how do you know in advance? Are they going to let you return the strings?

Yeah, I have no idea how you'd know if you were going to have a problem or not. I don't plan on returning the strings, as I like what they're doing for the Sabre...if you ignore the hum. I'm going to have my husband shield the electronics cavity and see how that goes.

TobiasMan
06-30-2014, 08:10 PM
My Black Beauties just showed up. Cleaned up some slightly protruding frets, polished them, oiled the fretboard, cleaned and waxed the Tobias, strung it up, tuned it up and brand new tone!!!!! :D

Awesome. Now if I could just figure out how to get L&M to move on the order a bit faster. May have to purchase from as US string vendor and have them shipped next time.

Elmeaux
06-30-2014, 09:39 PM
Now if I could just figure out how to get L&M to move on the order a bit faster. May have to purchase from as US string vendor and have them shipped next time.

You could try asking them to keep them in stock, because you think people would buy them. They would order a few sets and put them on the shelves. If they sold out, they'd order more, knowing they were popular. If they didn't sell, they'd still be there next time you wanted a set.

Good luck with the new sound!

Nicki
07-01-2014, 07:06 AM
My Black Beauties just showed up. Cleaned up some slightly protruding frets, polished them, oiled the fretboard, cleaned and waxed the Tobias, strung it up, tuned it up and brand new tone!!!!! :D



:mad: Grrrr.....Glad you're enjoying them! Do you find them sticky at all?

I posted on Talkbass about my issues with the Black Beauties, and folks there said that shielding the cavity won't make a difference since it's a grounding problem, not a shielding problem. I bought some Rotosound 55's to put on the Sabre instead. Anyone want some just-installed Black Beauties? LOL.

line6bassman
07-01-2014, 07:29 PM
I love my DR multi color strings after I got adjusted to them and I use fast fret, kinda slick... Get it slick? Slick? :)
OK.. FORGET ABOUT IT....! :)

TobiasMan
07-02-2014, 10:38 AM
You can only feel the "sticky" from the windings for a couple hours. I installed them on Monday and warmed up on them then. Played them at practice last night. Feelin' good and sounding great!